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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing 1 Kilogram of Heroin
A New Orleans man has pleaded guilty to distributing 1 kilogram of heroin, a crime that could land him up to life in prison. Arthur Johnson, 44, was arrested in 2017 after agents intercepted communications between him and a Chicago-based drug courier.
According to court records, Johnson and Ricky Redd, the Chicago-based courier, discussed a pending delivery of heroin on December 27, 2017. Redd was driving from Chicago to New Orleans to give Johnson a bag containing approximately three kilograms of heroin.
Later that day, surveillance agents observed Johnson and Redd meet twice at a Holiday Inn Hotel in New Orleans. During the first meeting, Redd gave Johnson a red bag containing approximately three kilograms of heroin. During the second meeting, Johnson gave Redd approximately $187,000.
The next day, December 28, 2017, agents conducted a traffic stop of Johnson and seized three brick chucks of heroin and eleven bags of heroin, totaling 1.3 kilograms of heroin from his home in New Orleans East. Agents also seized from the home a digital scale, six cell phones, over $11,000 in cash, a money counter, a kilogram press, two sealed GNC Inositol bottles, which are used as “cutting agents” to dilute heroin, and numerous items of jewelry, including diamond-encrusted necklaces and a diamond-encrusted Rolex watch.
Johnson, who previously had been convicted of federal drug charges, engaged in a practice where he would purchase a disposable “burner” cell phone approximately every 30 days and notify his drug associates via text when he obtained a new phone number. Johnson would use the new phone in furtherance of his drug operation. After thirty days, Johnson would discard the phone and immediately obtain a new phone.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Johnson agreed to forfeit a 2017 Mercedes Benz, $11,543.00 in cash, and jewelry, including a Rolex watch covered in approximately 17.45 carats of diamonds, a gold tennis necklace with approximately 25.67 carats of diamonds, a ninja shaped pendant covered with the phrases “XXO” and “Never Hesitate” and which is attached to a crown with approximately 10 carats of diamonds, a gold crown pendant covered in approximately 5.42 carat of diamonds, a gold tennis necklace with approximately 4.68 carats of diamonds, and a gold and diamond rope necklace.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan will sentence Johnson on December 1, 2021. Johnson and six other defendants were charged in 2018 with conspiring to distribute heroin in the New Orleans area. All but one of these defendants have pled guilty.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the FBI’s New Orleans Gang Task Force in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys David Howard Sinkman and Brandon Long are in charge of the prosecution.
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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